126 lines
3.1 KiB
Markdown
126 lines
3.1 KiB
Markdown
Israel's Moral Decline
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# Chapter 7
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1. How sad for me!
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For I am like one who--
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when the summer fruit has been gathered
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after the gleaning of the grape harvest--
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finds no grape cluster to eat,
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no early fig, which I crave.
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2. Faithful people have vanished from the land;
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there is no one upright among the people.
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All of them wait in ambush to shed blood;
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they hunt each other with a net.
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3. Both hands are good at accomplishing evil:
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the official and the judge demand a bribe;
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when the powerful man communicates his evil desire,
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they plot it together.
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4. The best of them is like a brier;
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the most upright is worse than a hedge of thorns.
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The day of your watchmen,
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the day of your punishment, is coming;
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at this time their panic is here.
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5. Do not rely on a friend;
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don't trust in a close companion.
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Seal your mouth
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from the woman who lies in your arms.
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6. Surely a son considers his father a fool,
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a daughter opposes her mother,
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and a daughter-in-law is against her mother-in-law;
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a man's enemies are the men of his own household.
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7. But I will look to
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the Lord;
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I will wait for the God of my salvation.
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My God will hear me.
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Zion's Vindication
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8. Do not rejoice over me, my enemy!
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Though I have fallen, I will stand up;
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though I sit in darkness,
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the Lord will be my light.
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9. Because I have sinned against him,
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I must endure
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the Lord's fury
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until he champions my cause
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and establishes justice for me.
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He will bring me into the light;
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I will see his salvation.
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10. Then my enemy will see,
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and she will be covered with shame,
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the one who said to me,
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"Where is
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the Lord your God?"
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My eyes will look at her in triumph;
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at that time she will be trampled
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like mud in the streets.
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11. A day will come for rebuilding your walls;
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on that day your boundary will be extended.
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12. On that day people will come to you
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from Assyria and the cities of Egypt,
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even from Egypt to the Euphrates River
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and from sea to sea
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and mountain to mountain.
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13. Then the earth will become a wasteland
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because of its inhabitants
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and as a result of their actions.
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Micah's Prayer Answered
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14. Shepherd your people with your staff,
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the flock that is your possession.
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They live alone in a woodland
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surrounded by pastures.
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Let them graze in Bashan and Gilead
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as in ancient times.
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15. I will perform miracles for them
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as in the days of your exodus
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from the land of Egypt.
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16. Nations will see and be ashamed
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of all their power.
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They will put their hands over their mouths,
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and their ears will become deaf.
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17. They will lick the dust like a snake;
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they will come trembling out of their hiding places
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like reptiles slithering on the ground.
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They will tremble in the presence of
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the Lord our God;
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they will stand in awe of you.
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18. Who is a God like you,
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forgiving iniquity and passing over rebellion
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for the remnant of his inheritance?
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He does not hold on to his anger forever
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because he delights in faithful love.
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19. He will again have compassion on us;
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he will vanquish our iniquities.
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You will cast all our sins
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into the depths of the sea.
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20. You will show loyalty to Jacob
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and faithful love to Abraham,
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as you swore to our ancestors
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from days long ago.
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